Folding machine



L. M. KOHN FOLDING MACHINE Filed Sept, 9, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 L. M. KOHN FOLDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 9, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 55% M A; A 770 R/VEVE.

Patented Dec, 1163, I924.

UNITED LEO M. KOHN, 0F NEIV YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING: "MACHINE.

Application filed September 9, 1921.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, Leo M. Koran, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Folding Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for folding sheets or analogous articles, and particularly to folding machines for automatically folding articles of difierent len hs at distances from the ends thereof which bear a definite ratio to the length of the sheets.

In folding machines of this kind the folding mechanisms are preferably divided into a plurality of sections arranged side by side transversely of the machine, each section being provided with timing or line of fold determining mechanism of its own, so that a number of relatively narrow articles may pass through the machine side by side, each cooperating with a difierent section. When it is desired to pass a wider article through the machine which extends over more than one se ction, means must be provided for connecting the timing mechanisms for these sections so that they will operate at the same instant to insure proper folding of the article. One of the objects of this invention is to provide automatic mechanism actuated by the sheets themselves for connecting the timing mechanisms of adjacent sections of the folding mechanism to cause them to act at the same instant to'efi'ect the folding of an article.

Other objects of the invention are to provide the section coupling means with a device for preventing more than one operation of the folding mechanism to effect a. single foldpalso to provide means of improved construction for feeding the part of the article to be folded between the folding rolls and conveyors in such a manner as to prevent binding of the folding mechanism; also to provide a switch of improved construction which may be actuated bv the articles to be folded for controlling the operation of the timing mechanism; also to provide means of improved construction for insuring the positive operation of the switches or contacts by the articles, regardless of how light and flimsy the article may be; also to improve the construction of folding mechanism of this kind in the other respects hereinafter specified.

Serial No. i99,385.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a folding machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal elevation thereof, partly diagrammatic.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a sheet feeding member.

Fig. 4 is a diagram of the electrical connectionsbetween the parts of the machine.

The folding machine. to which the improvements embodied in the invention have been added operates on the same principle as the machine disclosed in patent to Allison M.- MacFarland, Number1,313,713 of August 19, 1919, and Fig. 2 of the drawings shows the arrangement of the parts of the folding mechanism. Referring to this figure, the articles to be folded are delivered to the folding machine in any suitable manner, for example, by means of a discharge or delivery apron 10 of an ironing machine, from which they are discharged to one of a series of conveyors or belts which carry the articles through the folding machines, the conveyors preferably, comprising a plurality of tapes, spaced apart so that the various devices engaged bv the articles and acting upon the article may extend or enter into the spaces between the tapes. Each section of the machine in the construction shown is provided with starting ,or contact switches A A, which are actuated by engagement with the article to efi'ect the first and second folds respectively, and feeding devices B B which pass the articles between the folding tapes or rollers for effecting the first and second folds respectively, these switches and feeding devices operating through the medium of a timing or line of fold determining mechanism G- The machine is also provided with coupling switches or devices D D which are arranged between adjacent sections and which will be hereinafter more fully described. The machine shown in the drawings is adapted to make two folds in an article, but it will be evident that the machine can readily be adapted to make any desired number of folds, in which case more than two contact switches and feeding devices will be used for each section, and a corresponding number of coupling switches between sections. In order to feed the articles in operative relation to the switches and feeding members, any desired arrangement of conveyors,

' lows The articles are received from the delivery apron 10 on a conveyor 11, which preferably consists of a plurality of tapes arranged to pass over rollers 12 to 22 inclusive. After the articles have passed beyond the roller 13 they are preferably held in engagement with the tapes 11 by means of an auxiliary tape 24 passing over rollers 25 and 26, and the starting switch A has a contact finger 29 extending into the space between the two tapes, which is adapted to be actuated by the articles for beginning the operation of a timing mechanism C, the details of which are not herein shown but which may operate on the same general principle disclosed in the MacFarland patent hereinbefore mentioned. After the articles have passed over the roller 15 they are placed upon a conveyor or set of tapes 32 passing over rollers 33, 34 and 35. The tapes 32 carry the articles past the coupling switch D, causing the articles to engage the contact finger 36 thereof. 37 represents the article engaging fingers of the feeding member B of the folding mechanism, which member in the construction shown includes suitable means such as an electromagnet actuated by the timing mechanism C for moving the fingers 37 between the tapes 32 and thus engage the article on the predetermined line of fold and pass the same between the tapes 11 and a conveyor or tapes 40 which pass over rollers 41, 42, 43, 44 and 45. The article is passed by the fingers 37 between the tapes.

40 and a run of the tape 11, and the articles are then placed on the upper run of the tape 40 which carries the articles past the second starting switch A. The articles are discharged from the tape 40 to another run of the tape 11, which carries the articles past the second coupling switch I)" and to the second feeding device B, whichcngages the articles on the second line of fold, the fingers 37 of the feeding device B passing the articles between a run. of the tape 40 and a tape 49 passing over rollers 50 and 51. From the roller 51 the article is placed upon the discharge tapes 52 by means of which it is carried out of the machine. Any other arrangement of tapes or conveyors may be employed if desire The starting switches A. A and the cou-' pling switches D D may besimilar in construction, those shown in thedrawings having their contacts arranged in suitable housings 54 from which the fingers or levers 29 and 36 extend outwardly between adj acenttapes so that these levers are swung by the articles into. circuit closing position. The article feeding devices of the folding members B B shown in Figs. 1-3 each include a series of fingers 37 secured on bars 59 in the construction shown is arranged on.

the end of a lever 60 pivoted at 61 and havmg an arm 62 connected by means of a link 63 to the core 64 of an electromagne-t 65.

Consequently, when 'the electromagnet is energized by a current of electricity, the core 63 is drawn inwardly, thus swinging the lever 60 in a direction to move the fingers 37 through the spaces between the tapes. Feeding devices of any other suitable construction may be employed, if desired, and the starting and coupling switches may also be of other suitable construction. tion of the feeding devices is controlled from the starting switches A A through the medium of the timing mechanisms C, the starting switches being connected with the timing mechanism through the medium of the conductors 67 and 68 and the magnets 65 of the feeding mechanism being connected with the timing mechanism by means of conductors 69 and 70.

The series of tapes or conveyors which carry the articles through the folding mechanism must be of suflicient width to accommodate the largest article which the machine is capable offolding, for example, if the machine is used in connection with an ironing machine, the tapes or conveyors of the folding machine are preferably made of the same width as those of the ironing machine. In order to enable the machine to fold more than one narrow article at a time, the folding mechanism of the machine is preferably built in sections so that, a plurality of relatively narrow articles may be passed side by side through the machine, each article passing through the machine on The aca different longitudinal portion thereof.

gers of each section of the folding mechanism must operate independently of those of any other section when narrow articles are passed through the machine, but must operate together when an article wide enough to extend over more than 'one section is passed through the machine.

In order to automatically couple the various sets of feeding fingers the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 4 is preferably employed, which causes two or more of the magnets 65 to operate simultaneously and thereby cause the operation of the corresponding sets of fingers 37 at the same instant to effect the folding of the sheet. The coupling switches D, only one of which is shown in Fig. 1, are arranged approximately between or near the edges of adjacent sections of the machine; in other words, near the ends of the adjacent bars 59 car- Lemmas rying the feeding fingers. The two contacts of the coupling switch are connected by means of conductors 73 and 74: respectively which connect with the conductors 7 0 leading from the two timing mechanisms to the two magnets 65 of the feeding devices of adjacent sections. The other conductors 69 of the ma 'nets lead to the timing mechanisms C and may be suitably connected, for example, by means of a conductor 75, shown in Fig. 4. Consequently, the closing of a coupling switch connects the two magnets of adjacent feeding devices in parallel, and if two or more coupling switches are closed by a wide article, three or more magnets are connected in parallel, so that all magnets will receive the electric current simultaneously. As a result of the connection between the magnets by means of the coupling switch, the two magnets will be actuated simultaneously, since current transmitted-to either of these magnets will be transmitted to the other magnet through the medium of the coupling switch D. Consequently the two sets of fingers 37 will act simultaneously whenever an article passing through the machine is wide enough to engage the coupling switch. The coupling switches D are normally open so that when articles pass through the machine which do not extend into more than one section, the coupling switches will remain open and the several sections of the folding mechanism adjacent thereto will operate independently of each other.

In the diagram shown in Fig. ii, the electrical connections are illustrated which would be used if the folding mechanism of the machine were built in three sections.

llf the machine has a larger number of sec- I with their respective timing devices by means of conductors 67 and 68 and the feeding members B are connected with the timing mechanisms by means of conductors 69 70. The couplin switches D are connected with the conductors 70by means of conductors 73' and 74c and the conductors 69 are connected together by means of starting switches A, then if both of these switches are actuated simultaneously by both of the leading and rear ends of the article, the coupling switch D would probably not be required for the reasons that theoretically both sets of fingers 37 should then be operated at the same instant. It is, however, practically impossible to! feed sheets into the machine so that both the front and rear edges thereof are exactly at right angles to the path of movement of the article, and furthermore, the front and rear edges of the sheets ordinarily are not parallel, so that a wide sheet passing through the machine will not actuate the switches A at the same instant. Consequently, the coupling switches D are needed in order to cause the several sets of fingers37 to operate simultaneously, since even a slight difference in the time of actuation of the fingers 37 will cause a defective fold. The machine may be built in any number of sections, three being illustrated in the diagram of connections shown in Fig. 4, in which figure the switches A A and D D and the feeding members B B are shown diagrammatically. Fig. 1 shows the operation of a single coupling switclrD used in connection with the first fold which is made in the articles but it will be understood that the second fold coupling switches D operate in the same manner as described in the fore-- going, and that when an article is wide enough to extend over more than two sections, the other coupling switches perform the same functions as the one described.

When a coupling switch has connected two magnets 65, as described, the current transmitted to either one of the two magnets will energize both magnets. Since each timing mechanism operates independently of the other timing mechanism each timing mechanism will transmit current to the magreceive two impulses of current, the first of which will effect the folding of the article, and the second of which will merely cause the fingers 37 to move upwardly and will have no effect upon the article. llf desired, however, means of any suitable kind may be provided ,for preventing the current impulses other than the first impulse from actuating the feeding fingers. In the construction shown for this purpose, the current is transmitted to the magnet through the medium of amake and break device consisting of a contact 77 arranged on the lever or arm 60 ofthe feeding mechanism, and a fixed contact 78, Figs. 1, 2 and 3. When the armor lever swings into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3, the contacts 77 and 78 will be moved out of engagement, thus breaking the circuit and preventing the flow of current to the magnets until the lever again returns to the lower or inoperative position. Since the several impulses of current generally follow each other in rapid succession, the short interval during which the contacts 77 and 78 are out of engagement suflices to prevent more than one actuation of the feeding member and thereby prevents may be operated without the means described for preventing more than one actuation of the feeding fingers for one article.

In machines of this kind it is very neces- I sarythat the switches or contact devices which are actuated by the articles themselves, whether they be starting switches A A or the cou ling switches D D, should be operated wit out failure and for this reason the following construction is preferably employed:

The starting and coupling switches are provided with arms which extend into the spaces between the adjacent tapes in sucha manner as to be engaged by articles carried .by the tapes and to be swung by the articles about their pivots in order to close a circuit. Since the machine may be used for folding very light and flimsy sheets or articles, the arms of the switches which extend between the tapes are preferably so arranged as to swing easily into their circuit closing positions and by extending between the tapes directly into the path of movement of the articles, the positive operation of the switches is insured, since the material passing through the tapes adheres frictionally to a' certain extent to the tapes and therefore resistsbeing displaced by contact with the arms of the switches.

In order to render the operation of the switches still more positive, auxiliary tapes or runs of tapes may be used if desired, for

I the purpose of positively holding the articles in engagement with the carrying tapes. For example, in Figs. 1 and 2, auxiliary tapes 24 are employed, the lower runs of which are in contact with the tapes 11 which carry the articles. The arm 29 of the starting switch A extends between adjacent bands or tapes of the conveyors 11 and the auxiliary set of tapes 24, so that when an article engages the arm 29 of the switch A, the positive swinging of the arm by the article to be folded is ,insured, since the auxiliary tapes positively prevent the goods from lifting or rising over the arm 29 without depressing the same..

In connection with the coupling switch D, a run of tapes 11 between the rolls 15 and 16 serves to hold the articles in positions in which the arm 36 of the switch D will positively be actuated, as is also true in connection with the switch A, Fig. 2, in which the articles are carried by the conveyor 40 and are held in engagement therewith by the run of the tapes 11 between the rolls 18 and 19. It will be seen that by arranging the starting and coupling switches in s'lch a manner that the switch arms extend between the tapes, and also providing means for holding the articles to be folded upon the tapes, a positive actuation of the switches is insured. Other means for holding the articles in engagement with the carrying tapes to insure the actuation of the switches may be employed if desired.

The folding machine shown in the drawings also is provided with improved means for effecting the folding of the articles by the feeding members in such a manner as to prevent the binding'of the feeding members in the bite of the rolls or ta es in which the folding takes place. For t is urpose the two rolls between which the artlcles are fed by any of the sets of feeding fin ers 37, for example, the rolls 16 and 41, whic cooperate with the feeding device B, or the rolls 43 and 50 which cooperate with the feeding device B, are spaced apart so that the fin ers of the feeding device cannot be pinc ed or bound in the bite of the rolls. In order to insure the gripping of the varticles by thetapes fpassing over these spaced apart rolls, one o the conveyors or sets of tapes is arranged in such a manner as to extend substantially tangentially with reference to the rollers 16 and 41 and across the space separating therollers, and the feeding fingers of the feeding device B are arranged to-cooperate with this tangential portion of the tapes, which engages the article to be folded and carries the article to the tapes 40. The portions of the tapes 40 between the rollers 43 and 50 are similarly arranged, the rollers 44 serving to cause this portion of the tapes 40' to extend tangentially to the rolls 43 and 50. The feeding fingers of the feeding device can therefore not be pinched or gripped between adjacent rollers, but are free to return to vtheir normal positions when the n agiets of the feeding devices are deener- 1ze g By means of the coupling switches. described, the operation of the machine is entirely automatic, so that no hand adjustment of the electrical connections is necessary when the machine is to be used on articles of varying widths. Even when narrow articles are passed through the machine, no pains need be taken to so position the same that they will pass over one section only of the folding mechanism since a narrow article which overlaps two sections will actuate the coupling switch between these sections and will thus be correctly folded. 'Ihe arrangement of the starting and coupling s itches as described with or without the addition of the auxiliary tapes also helps to make the operation of the machine more positive and simplifies the construction thereof. This is also true with reference to the arrangement of the folding devices described.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a folding machine, the combination of means for carrying the articlesto be folded through the machine, a folding mechanism comprising a plurality of sections arranged in alinement transversely of the direction of movement of said sheets and in operative relation to said carrying means, and means actuated by articles passing to said folding mechanism for causing two or more of said sections to act simultaneously to effect the folding of said articles.

2. In a folding machine, the combination of means for carrying the articles to be folded through the machine, a folding mechanism comprising a plurality of sections arranged in alinement transversely of the direction of movement of said sheets and in operative relation to said carrying means and operable independently of each other to effect the folding of articles which are arranged wholly within the width of a single section, and means adapted to be actuated by articles passing to said folding mechanism and extending beyond a single section, to effect the simultaneous operation ofthe sections into which said articles extend.

3. In a folding machine, the combination of means for carrying the articles to be folded through the machine, a folding mechanism comprising a plurality of sections ar-- ranged in alinement transversely of the direction of movement of said sheets and in operative relation to said carrying means, timing mechanisms for controllin the operation of each section indepen ently of other sections, and means actuated by the articles passing to said folding mechanism for causing said timing mechanisms to cause a plurality of said sections to operate simultaneously when necessary to effect the correct folding of the articles.-

4. In a folding machine, the combination of means for carryin the articles to be folded through the mac ine, a folding mechanism comprising a plurality of sections arranged in alinement transversely of the direction of movement of said sheets and in operative relation to said carrying means, a timing mechanism for each section for controlling the operation of said sections independently of each other when used in connection with articles arranged wholly within one section, and means actuated by an article extending beyond one section to couple the timing mechanisms of the sections into which the article extends and thereby cause the operation of said sections simultaneously.

5. In a folding machine, the combination of means for carrying the articles to be folded through the machine, a folding mechanism comprising a plurality of sections arranged in alinement transversely of the direction of movement of said sheets and in operative relation to said carrying means, and coupling devices arranged substantially at the adjoining edges of said sections and adapted to be engaged by articles extending into more than one section for causing the actuation of more than one section at a time.

6. In a folding machine, the combination of means for carrying the articles to be folded through the machine, a folding mechanism comprising a plurality of sections arranged in alinement transversely of the direction of movement of said sheets and in operative relation to said carrying means, electrical means for actuating said sections, and coupling switches arranged in the path of movement of articles extending laterally beyond one of said sections and actuated by said articles for connecting said actuating means to operate simultaneously.

7. In a folding machine, the combination of means for carrying the articles to be folded through the machine, a folding mechanism comprising a plurality of sections arranged in alinement transversely of the direction of movement of said sheets and in operative relation to said carrying means, an electromagnet for actuating each of said sections, and coupling switches .arranged substantially at the adjoining edges of said sections and adapted to be actuated by articles passing to said folding mechanism to connect the magnets of adjacent sections so that said magnets will be actuated simultaneously. v

8. In a folding machine, the combination of means for carrying the articles to be folded through the machine, a. folding mechanism comprising a plurality of sections arranged in alinement transversely of the direction of movement of said sheets and in operative relation to said carrying means, a timing mechanism for each section for controlling the operation of said sections independently of each other when used in connection with articles arranged wholly within one section, means actuated by the articles passing to said folding mechanism for connecting said sections to permit any timing mechanism of the sections over which an article extends to actuate all of said sections, and means for preventing more than one actuation of said sections to effect a single fold.

9. In a folding machine, the combination of means for carryin the articles tobe folded through the machine, a folding mechanism comprising a plurality of sections arranged in alinement transversely of the direction of movement of said sheets and in operative relation to said carrying means, a timing mechanism for each section for controlling the operation of said sections independently of each other when used in connection with articles arranged wholly within one section, electrical means for actuating said sections and each receiving current from its own timing mechanism, and coupling switches arranged substantially at the adjoining edges of said sections and adapted to be actuated by articles extending into more than one section, each of said coupling switches serving to connect said electrical means of adjacent sections in parallel, whereby the connected sections will operate simultaneously.

10. In a folding machine, the combination of means for carrying the articles to be folded through the machine, a folding mechanism comprising a pluralityv of sections arranged in alinement transversely of the direction of movement of said sheets and in operative relation to said carryingmeans, a timing mechanism for each section for controlling the operatlon of said sections independently of each other when used in connection with articles arranged wholly within one section, means actuated by the articles passing to said folding mechanism for connecting said sections to permit any timing mechanism of the sections over which the article extends to actuate all of sald sections, and means for preventing more'than one actuation of said sections to efiect'a single fold.

11. In a folding machine, the combination of means for carryin the articles to be folded through the mac ine, a folding mechanism comprising a plurality of sections arranged in. alinement transversely of the direction of movement of said sheets and in operative relation to said carrying means,

a timing mechanism foreach section for.

controlling the operation of said sections 4 independently of each other when used in connection with articles arranged wholly within one section, electrical means for actuating said sections and each receiving current from its owntiming mechanism, coupling switches adapted to be closed by the articles passing to said folding mechanism for connecting said electrical means so that any of the electrical means so connected may receive current from any of the timing mechanisms of the corresponding sections, and means for preventing said sections from receiving current from more than one of said timing mechanisms.

12. In a folding machine,'the combination of means for carrying the articles to be folded through the machine, a folding mechanism comprising a plurality of sections arranged in alinement transversely of the direction of movement of said sheets and in operative relation to said carrying means, a timing mechanism for each .section for controlling the operation of said sections independently of each other when used in connection with articles arranged wholly within one section, electrical means for actuating said sections and each receiving current from its own timing mechanism, coupling switches adapted to be closed by the articles passing to said folding mechanism for connecting said electrical means so that any of the electrical means so connected may receive current from any of the timing mechanisms of the corresponding sections, and means whereby the first flow of current from any of said timing mechanisms actuates all of said sections and prevents current from other timing mechanisms from actuating said sections. 1

13. In a folding machine, the combination of means for carrying the articles to be folded through the machine, a folding mechanism comprising a plurality of sections arranged in alinement transversely of the direction of movement of said sheets and in operative relation to said carrying means, a timing mechanism for each section for controlling the operation of said sections independently of. each 'other when used in connection with articles arranged whol'ly within one section, electrical means for actuating said sections and each receivin'g current from its own timing mechanism, coupling switches adapted'to be closed by the articles passing to said folding mechanism for connecting said electrical means so that any of the electrical means so connected-may receive current from any of the timing mechanisms of the correspondin sections, and

means for breaking the circuit leading from i said housing into the path of movement of said articles and between said tapes, whereby the articles are adapted to engage said arm and swing the same out of the path of movement of the articles into a circuit clos-' ing position.

LEO ML KOHN. 

